UL BOHEMIAN HEAD Coach Fiona Hayes has expressed her frustration at how Ireland’s Six Nations clash with Scotland over the weekend impacted her team who were competing in the women’s AIL final against Railway Union.
The Limerick-based side were forced to line out in their decider at the Aviva Stadium without key players Aoife Corey and Jane Clohessy, who were both called up to make their debuts with the international squad for the final game of the Six Nations championship on Saturday.
Corey started at full-back in the 26-19 defeat while Clohessy came on in the first half. On Sunday, UL Bohs were crowned AIL champions for the second year in a row after an 82nd-minute try from Éilís Cahill.
Their AIL final opponents Railway Union were also impacted by the fixture clash, as Claire Boles was included in the Ireland squad for the trip to Edinburgh.
While Hayes was delighted to see her players make their international bows, she is disappointed over how their selection on the Irish squad was handled.
“It’s frustrating for us because we’re finding there’s a lack of communication around players that are being brought in. Aoife Corey was never on the [Ireland] panel in the first place and they brought her in. We had no clue that they were being included in the matchday squad. They had been available up to that, and that’s fine, I understand that they [Ireland] want to keep the team in house as well.
“If it was pushed out or there was anyway around it, maybe the girls would have had a a chance to play both, especially Jane. She came on early in the game with the HIA and Dorothy [Wall] got injured but if Jane had played three minutes [instead], she would have been able to play in the AIL final.”
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Hayes also mentioned UL Bohs player Beth Buttimer who was a travelling reserve with the Ireland squad, and says that they received “no communication” from the IRFU regarding her availability for the AIL final.
Elaborating on how the decision to call up Clohessy and Corey was communicated to UL Bohs, Hayes adds:
“It would have been great for the club to get a heads up or any contact. We sent Aoife in for media duty for the cup on Tuesday so she didn’t have an idea. So, then she finds out when everyone else finds out. That can be a little bit frustrating. But I do understand that it is international rugby and that’s their focus.
“You have the core contracted players that might never play [AIL] and I understand that. But there are an awful lot of fringe players that would have played AIL. For them to be able to play in that final that they worked so hard all year round to be part of, would have been unbelievable for them.”
UL Bohemian head coach Fiona Hayes after her side's AIL triumph. Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
Following an inquiry from The42, the IRFU released a statement on the matter, saying that a season plan for the 2024/2025 AIL season was communicated to clubs last June. Celtic Challenge weeks and women’s Six Nations fixtures were highlighted in the plan along with the date of the final.
The statement continues by saying that “clubs were aware from June of last year that they would be impacted if players were called on for international duty.
“For the finals last year, the IRFU ran a double header for the first time ever which was hugely appreciated and welcomed by all clubs in terms of giving visibility to both league finals and we were fortunate to have the support of TG4 to broadcast both games yesterday.
“Unfortunately moving finals to another weekend was not an option due to the unavailability of Aviva Stadium.
“We are very mindful also it is a long season and clubs deserve to finish in enough time to give players adequate downtime.”
Responding to the points made in the IRFU statement, Hayes said that her side were aware of the season plan “but that doesn’t mean we can’t disagree with it.”
When asked if she would be willing to have their AIL final played a venue other than the Aviva Stadium in order to accommodate the postponement, Hayes replied:
“I suppose that is the carrot. They’ve done the double-header for the last two years and it would never have been an option before. The final would have been on a good few weeks after the women’s Six Nations so it’s a tough one because I’ve experienced it twice now and it is unbelievable.”
Along with losing Boles for the AIL final, Railway Union are also represented by Irish stars Amee-Leigh Costigan, Stacey Flood and Eve Higgins. Hayes says that facilitating the contracted players to be available for the AIL would bring a welcome boost to the competition, and feels that the IRFU is too preoccupied with using the international team to improve the profile of women’s rugby in Ireland.
“100%.
“I’ve no issue in saying that, definitely. The AIL is there, it needs to be invested in a little bit more and the majority of players have started at AIL. It’s huge for Irish rugby to have that there. They’re so focused on the Irish team and it’s the AIL they have to come to and they forget that.”
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'It's frustrating for us because we're finding there's a lack of communication'
UL BOHEMIAN HEAD Coach Fiona Hayes has expressed her frustration at how Ireland’s Six Nations clash with Scotland over the weekend impacted her team who were competing in the women’s AIL final against Railway Union.
The Limerick-based side were forced to line out in their decider at the Aviva Stadium without key players Aoife Corey and Jane Clohessy, who were both called up to make their debuts with the international squad for the final game of the Six Nations championship on Saturday.
Corey started at full-back in the 26-19 defeat while Clohessy came on in the first half. On Sunday, UL Bohs were crowned AIL champions for the second year in a row after an 82nd-minute try from Éilís Cahill.
Their AIL final opponents Railway Union were also impacted by the fixture clash, as Claire Boles was included in the Ireland squad for the trip to Edinburgh.
While Hayes was delighted to see her players make their international bows, she is disappointed over how their selection on the Irish squad was handled.
“It’s frustrating for us because we’re finding there’s a lack of communication around players that are being brought in. Aoife Corey was never on the [Ireland] panel in the first place and they brought her in. We had no clue that they were being included in the matchday squad. They had been available up to that, and that’s fine, I understand that they [Ireland] want to keep the team in house as well.
“If it was pushed out or there was anyway around it, maybe the girls would have had a a chance to play both, especially Jane. She came on early in the game with the HIA and Dorothy [Wall] got injured but if Jane had played three minutes [instead], she would have been able to play in the AIL final.”
Hayes also mentioned UL Bohs player Beth Buttimer who was a travelling reserve with the Ireland squad, and says that they received “no communication” from the IRFU regarding her availability for the AIL final.
Elaborating on how the decision to call up Clohessy and Corey was communicated to UL Bohs, Hayes adds:
“It would have been great for the club to get a heads up or any contact. We sent Aoife in for media duty for the cup on Tuesday so she didn’t have an idea. So, then she finds out when everyone else finds out. That can be a little bit frustrating. But I do understand that it is international rugby and that’s their focus.
“You have the core contracted players that might never play [AIL] and I understand that. But there are an awful lot of fringe players that would have played AIL. For them to be able to play in that final that they worked so hard all year round to be part of, would have been unbelievable for them.”
Following an inquiry from The42, the IRFU released a statement on the matter, saying that a season plan for the 2024/2025 AIL season was communicated to clubs last June. Celtic Challenge weeks and women’s Six Nations fixtures were highlighted in the plan along with the date of the final.
The statement continues by saying that “clubs were aware from June of last year that they would be impacted if players were called on for international duty.
“For the finals last year, the IRFU ran a double header for the first time ever which was hugely appreciated and welcomed by all clubs in terms of giving visibility to both league finals and we were fortunate to have the support of TG4 to broadcast both games yesterday.
“Unfortunately moving finals to another weekend was not an option due to the unavailability of Aviva Stadium.
“We are very mindful also it is a long season and clubs deserve to finish in enough time to give players adequate downtime.”
Responding to the points made in the IRFU statement, Hayes said that her side were aware of the season plan “but that doesn’t mean we can’t disagree with it.”
When asked if she would be willing to have their AIL final played a venue other than the Aviva Stadium in order to accommodate the postponement, Hayes replied:
“I suppose that is the carrot. They’ve done the double-header for the last two years and it would never have been an option before. The final would have been on a good few weeks after the women’s Six Nations so it’s a tough one because I’ve experienced it twice now and it is unbelievable.”
Along with losing Boles for the AIL final, Railway Union are also represented by Irish stars Amee-Leigh Costigan, Stacey Flood and Eve Higgins. Hayes says that facilitating the contracted players to be available for the AIL would bring a welcome boost to the competition, and feels that the IRFU is too preoccupied with using the international team to improve the profile of women’s rugby in Ireland.
“100%.
“I’ve no issue in saying that, definitely. The AIL is there, it needs to be invested in a little bit more and the majority of players have started at AIL. It’s huge for Irish rugby to have that there. They’re so focused on the Irish team and it’s the AIL they have to come to and they forget that.”
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